


The Red Lion's Paladin **Hiatus**

by icyfox22



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Astral Plane, Female pronouns for Pidge, Hurt/Comfort, Langst, Season 5 Spoilers, Soulmates, post s5
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-03-11
Updated: 2019-03-13
Packaged: 2019-03-30 02:11:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 14,031
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13940349
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/icyfox22/pseuds/icyfox22
Summary: After their trip to the weird void place, Lance has been trying to return. Red is all to eager to help out and together they form a nearly unbreakable bond.The team is sent on a peacekeeping mission by Lotor to finally put a stop to a centuries long rebellion between the Galra and the planet's inhabitants.Something is up with Shiro and it's up to Lance to help.





	1. Chapter One

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright! Here I am with a brand new fanfiction... and my very first Voltron fanfic. Got a million more of those coming at some point but for now here's this one! 
> 
> My current plan is to have this story complete by the time season 6 come out. 
> 
> Updates are tentatively planned for Sundays.
> 
> Enjoy!

_Fire swirls around him, dangerous but never lethal. Always near but never close enough to touch. Heat radiates off it, warm and gentle against his skin. It shimmers and thrums with a kind of energy unique to the element itself. Even after all his time spent with Blue, Lance has only experienced this with Red and Red alone._  

_The astral plane._

_He wonders if the others have been there with their lions. If Yellow’s is rocky and mountainous._

_He imagines Green’s must be like a jungle, and Pidge must hate it if she’s ever seen it._  

 _He feels remorse at never seeing Blue’s. Saddened to know he likely never will. Her’s is likely the cool, deep expanse of the ocean. Sand and coral and seaweed probably float off in the distance, swaying to some unknown current in the plane._  

 _Red rumbles, materializing before him._  

Lance.

 _She more resembles a tiger, in his opinion, with her ruffled cheeks and scruffy neck. She stands nearly as tall as he is and certainly taller if she were to rise onto her back feet. Beautiful and fierce Red._  

_Lance has long since learned that this is what Altean lions look like. Both male and female._

Lance.

_“Hey, girl,” he mutters hugging her head as she places it on his chest. His voice echoes across the plane._

_“You have something for me today or are we just hanging out?_  

_She blinks at him and moves away. He follows._

 

“Lance!” 

He startles out of his seat, thudding onto the floor of Red’s cockpit.

“Lance,” the comms say again. Groaning, he rises and stares out of Red’s eyes. Pidge stares up at him, arms crossed and no doubt scowling. “If you’re done fooling around in there, we could really use you on the bridge.”

 “Be right out,” he replies, sighing. Red rumbles in the back of his mind, upset over being disturbed. “Sorry, girl. We can try again later.” He gives the console a reassuring pat and waits for her head to lower and let him out.

 “You’re late,” Pidge says the second he steps out of the lion. He shrugs helplessly as he moves past her and out of the hangar.

 “What are you doing with Red anyways?” Pidge asks, moving quickly to keep up with him.

 “Just bonding,” he replies. He can’t help it, really. Ever since they all ended up in that weird void place, he’s been trying to go back. Red was all too eager to help and they’ve been bonding ever since. It’s a win-win really.

 “By just sitting in your lion?” she asks, skeptical. Sure… it’s not creating mods for her or decoding things… or whatever Pidge does in Green’s hangar. Yes, he knows he could take her out for a flight but, there’s something more intimate and deep about the astral plane.

 “We talk.” She peers at him suspiciously as they stop before the bridge.

 “Are you practicing pick-up lines on your lion?” she asks.

 “Pidge!” he squawks just as the door slides open.

 “So you do.” She smirks, moving past him to claim her spot inside. His face heats up in embarrassment as he follows her into the room.

 “I don’t,” he protests.

 “Lance.” He chokes back whatever he was going to say next and tenses. The walls around him instantly go up. Red growls through their bond. He takes a deep, steadying breath and turns to face Shiro. “You’re late.”  

 “Sorry,” he says. “I was with Red an-“

 “If you’re going to be second-in-command, I expect you to be on time,” Shiro snaps. Lance’s mouth snaps shut. His gaze slides over to Allura, silently pleading for some type of assistance. She looks between the two paladins, face screwed up in concern as she struggles to say something.

 “Don’t be too hard on the boy, Shiro,” Coran chimes in. “Bonding with one’s lion is a vital part in any Paladin-Lion relationship. Why, bonded Paladins are capable of bringing out Voltron’s full potential even.”

 Shiro’s frown deepens but he remains silent, choosing instead to turn away from the group. Lance heaves a sigh and moves over to his seat, plopping down in it dejectedly. He’s not sure why he tries, really. Shiro’s never going to trust him in any kind of leadership role. Not like he trusted Keith that is.

 Keith trusted him as the red paladin though. That must count for something… right? Apparently, it doesn’t to Shiro...

 He meets Allura’s concerned gaze. She gives him a reassuring smile. It doesn’t meet her eyes.

 “Right,” Allura says. She clears her throat. “Well, we will be arriving at Solaria in about two quintants. Once there we will be meeting with their council to discuss a possible alliance between them and the Galra.”

 “According to Lotor’s data,” Pidge says, pulling her screen up so everyone can see. “The Solarians were enslaved by the Galra nearly two millennia ago. They organized a revolt and the planet has been in civil war for nearly three centuries.”

 Pidge presses another button and a planet appears on the screen. It’s rather small compared to some of the other planet they’ve been to. Three moons, large enough to be planets of their own only make it appear much smaller than it likely is, rotating around it.

 “Since Lotor has become emperor, the two sides have entered a temporary ceasefire, but there’s no telling when they’ll start back up again,” Allura adds. “We must act quickly to ensure the war ends and both sides come to a peaceful agreement.”

 “The war will end once they know Voltron is allied with the Galra,” Shiro says. Lance shift uneasily in his seat. They can’t just go in guns blazing, and siding with the Galra in such a delicate situation will only result on Voltron being declared an enemy. Lance knows that…. Shouldn’t Shiro also know that? Should he say something?

  _“I told you to stay out of it!”_

 He bites his tongue instead, choosing to stay out of it for now.

 “I’m afraid this mission will require a bit more… diplomacy,” Allura says. “We have coordinated a rendezvous with Kolivan to have the Blade assist with negotiations.”  

 “So…. How do we do this?” Hunk asks. “I mean… are we splitting up and working on both sides? Or are we just going to like… I dunno, have their leaders come to us in neutral grounds? What’s the game plan here?”

 “Solaria operates under the guidance of a Council and their Oracle,” Allura explains. “Together, they rule the planet and assist with all intergalactic trade and treaties. As such, it’s important that we fall into their favor to help smooth over negotiations. We will be splitting into three groups. One will join me in meeting with the Council. The-“

“What about the Oracle?” Hunk asks. Allura shoots him a frown. “Won’t you be meeting with them as well?”

“The Oracle only communes with those of Solarian blood,” Coran supplies. “It is unlikely that we will even see them during our time there.”

Allura continues, “The last group will be sent to do some reconnaissance among _both_ populations.”  

“Sounds a lot like mingling to me,” Lance mutters.

“It’s important that we know what the public thinks of everything for the sake of coming together,” Coran says. “Too often those in power are disconnected from what those below them think and feel. Which is why we need to… mingle, as you call it.”

“Okay, so… we get there in what? Two quintants?” Lance mentally sifts through what little Altean he’s managed to learn. That’s two days…. Right? “What do we do until then?” he asks.

“Might I suggest a mini vacation?” Coran offers. “Once we land on Solaria, we won’t have much down time. Now would be a good chance to relax before the big mission.”

Allura hums thoughtfully as Pidge brings up a map of their current route.

“We won’t be able to stop at any planets,” Pidge says. “Not if we want to get there in time.”

“We will just have to find ways to relax around the Castle,” Allura replies. Lance perks up at that, ideas instantly popping into his head. If there’s one thing his family’s taught him, it’s how to make the best of a staycation.

“We’ll do a spa night in the common room,” he suggests. “Hunk can make some snacks and Pidge can hook us up with some chick flicks. We can do facemasks.”  

“Oh man, I _just_ got a new pastry recipe I’ve been wanting to try,” Hunk chimes in. “This would be the perfect opportunity.”

“And I know just the movie we can watch,” Pidge offers. “In fact, I have a whole library of movies we can sort through.”

“That sounds like a fantastic idea, Lance,” Allura says, smiling warmly at Lance. He can’t help but smile back. He may not be able to crack codes. He may not be the best fighter. Or the best pilot. But bringing everyone together? Having a relaxing night to watching movies and unwind? The perfect chance for some much-needed team bonding. This is what he’s good at.

 “We should use this time to train,” Shiro says, and Lance’s mood instantly sinks. “We’ll need to be in top form for when we land.” No… no, of course training is important… he can’t really fault Shiro for that. Still… having some time together to just unwind and relax is just as important.

Pidge grumbles, falling back in her seat with a frown. Allura looks between the paladins, face falling slightly. Even she has been looking forward to a night of fun.

“I’m afraid I must veto your suggestion, Shiro,” Coran says, fiddling with his moustache as he meets Shiro’s heated gaze head on. “Building a strong relationship between paladins is just as important as training. Consider it a bonding exercise.”

They stare each other down for a long, tense moment before Shiro turns away and leaves the bridge in stunned silence.

Red growls across her link with Lance, unhappy with whatever just happened.

 “Why don’t we all meet in the common room in two vargas?” Allura suggests, breaking the silence. “That should give Hunk enough time to prepare the snacks and the rest of us to get into our sleepwear.” Hunk salutes her and promptly leaves to begin baking. Pidge gathers up her things and rises from her chair.

“I’m going to go get changed then work on setting up the movies,” she says, making her way out of the bridge. “I’ll see you all in a bit.”

Lance rises from his seat, mentally going over his supplies that he will need for tonight.

 Red rumbles at him, seeking an audience before their impromptu sleepover. He sighs and heads for the door to go visit her before getting ready.

"Lance." He turns to look back at Allura, her expression troubled. "I must thank you for suggesting this. It's not always easy to know when a break is needed, and we all definitely need it."

"Oh...." He doesn't know that to say. Flattery and humility war inside him. "Thanks, Princess," he says. "I just thought it might help everyone relax."

"It has been rather tense lately..." she admits. "I'm glad we have you around though. You certainly help boost morale."

"I'm just doing what I can." She smiles at that and the pair falls silent. Coran putters around somewhere up front, muttering to himself as he checks over various castle related tasks.

"It's not easy being the head of Voltron," Coran comments. "Shiro might not admit it, but I'm sure tonight would be good for him as well."

"Yeah..." Lance agrees. "We should make sure he's there." Coran turns around fully and stops before Lance. He places his hands on Lance's shoulders.

"Why don't you go see Red for a bit, yeah?" Coran suggests. Lance blinks, equal parts confused and shocked. Does he know something? Have the mice been talking? He knows they gossip to Allura about what goes on in the castle. Maybe she's told Coran something?

"We know you've been spending time with her," Allura explains. "I'm not sure what caused such a change in you, but it can only be for the better."

"And once you're done," Coran adds. "Why don't you come to the common room and show us how to make one of those pillow forts you and the others have talked about so much?"

"Sure," he says, grinning. "But only if you two gather up all the pillows and blankets you can find."

"Right, now off with you." Coran shoos him out the door and soon he finds himself back in Red's hangar. 

Yeah... just a few minutes with his lion and then he'll be on his way to a night of fun.

 

Allura and Coran are arguing over their blanket fort by the time Lance makes his way into the common room. The mice sit off to the side, watching Pidge tinker with the screen to get her laptop connected. Pidge mutters to herself, connecting and disconnecting wires as she goes.

Lance moves over to the nearest table to set his things down. Someone must have put it in here to hold Hunk's goodies. Shiro is.... unsurprisingly nowhere to be seen. Lance finds he doesn't mind as much as he probably should.

"No! I'm telling you, we need to place the pillows in a pyramid formation so they stand better," Coran grumbles.

"The pillows won't stand properly if we do that though," Allura argues back. "Besides, we need some for inside the fort, Coran. We'll run out if we do pyramids."

Lance looks over the massive pile of pillows and blankets. Given the size of the castle, he really shouldn't be so surprised to they have such a large amount of bedding.

"Lance," Allura says, turning to him. "Tell Coran he's being impractical."

"Given neither of you have ever done this... I'd say you should just sit back and let the master show you how it works." Pidge scoffs from her place by the screen.

"Nobody builds pillow forts better than Matt," she says.

"Well Matt's not here right now," Lance grumbles, grabbing a couple of blankets. He steps down into the sitting area. At least they have the advantage of a lower space. It'll make stacking the pillow and blankets much easier. "Coran, grab some blankets and help me lay down a base."

Together, they place blankets and with Allura's help, slowly build a fort worthy of a king. The blankets stretch over the back of the seats and frame the movie screen. It creates the perfect, intimate little movie watching space. There’s an opening on either side of the fort, allowing for easy access in and out of the little cave. Pillows help keep edges and corners from falling off though most of them have been made into a fluffy, cloudy nest inside.

It's probably the best fort Lance has ever made. He wishes briefly that he could show it to his family.

Hunk eventually shows up with plates full of deliciously sweet smelling food. Lance can't help the way his mouth waters as the scent fills the room. He quickly helps Hunk set up the table, long since placed inside their cave, before ushering everyone in and turning the light off.

It's dark in the fort, save for the dim glow of the screen as Pidge brings up the first movie.

"Before we hit play," Lance says, setting his bag of things down in front of everyone. "Let's get a bit more comfortable, shall we?" He pulls out bottles upon bottles of creams and masks meant to relax and sooth their skin.

Hunk begins filling plates with snacks as Lance sets to work showing the others how to apply their masks. By the time he's done, everyone has a plate of food. They all relax into the cloud of pillows as Pidge moves forward.

"It took me awhile," Pidge says, hitting play on her laptop. "But I was finally able to find the perfect movie to start our night of relaxing."

The movie starts up. Lance and Hunk both gasp in excitement as the music begins playing. Lance looks to Allura and Coran.

"Get ready," he says. "Because you are both about to learn a thing or two about some of Earth's customs."

Shiro never shows up. Lance chooses not to question it. If he wants to be alone then so be it. He’s not going to let something like that ruin a fun night with his friends.

 

Lance wakes up with his face in Allura's chest. He blinks, face heating up as he rises out of their cuddle pile. Hunk snores off to his side, Pidge curled up nearly on top of him. Lance smiles to himself. Of course they all fell asleep in their pillow fort. He crawls out of the forts and stretches, popping his back in a satisfying manner.

With the others still sleeping, he makes his way into the kitchen, only to be greeted by Shiro.

"Oh..." Lance hesitates. Maybe he should come back later.... Shiro spots him as he turns around and stares at Lance in surprise.

"Hey.... Shiro..." Lance says awkwardly.

"Sorry," Shiro replies. "I... wasn't really in the mood for movies. Hope you don't mind that I wasn't there."

"No... um... not at all. It was fine. I'm sure you had other things to do." Other, more important things to do. Things that didn't involve hanging out with the team.

Lance sighs and moves over to the food storage container. It's not exactly a fridge, but it does keep food fresh like one. Coran babbled off some weird Altean name for it once upon a time but he never retained the information. No point really, when Hunk does all the cooking.

He opens the door and looks around for whatever the equivalent to waffles is. Hunk made a stack not too long ago so it should still be good. He finds the syrup substance easily enough but the waffles seem to be eluding him.

Maybe someone else ate them already…. The stack was pretty big though. Then again…. Pidge _can_ put down food like a champ. Except, Hunk wouldn’t let her eat all of them. He’s big on sharing like that.

“Lance?”

Lance startles and hits his head on the stop of the storage container. Rubbing the back of his head, he turns to face Shiro with a pout.

“Yeah?” He asks. Shiro falters for a moment eyes looking at everything but Lance. They eventually settle on the plate of food in front of him. At some point, Shiro had moved over to the island and put his plate of waffles onto the countertop. It shouldn’t be that surprising, really, that Shiro is in the kitchen to eat. Still… Lance really wanted those waffles.

“Oh…” Shiro says, following his gaze to the plate of food. “I’m sorry… I didn’t think that you might want them.”

“It’s fine. I will find something else to eat,” Lance replies, waving him off as he ducks back into the fridge. He looks through the various foods and meals Hunk has made before settling on what appears to be purple spotted…. Eggs? Hm. Omelets wouldn’t be a bad idea. He pulls the carton out.

“Do you like omelets?” he asks Shiro, taking one out and squinting at it. It has to be edible. Hunk wouldn’t put something in the kitchen if it wasn’t edible. Right? Right.

“I didn’t know you could cook.” Lance shrugs and digs around in the cabinet for something to cook on. Hunk _definitely_ knows his way around this kitchen better than he does. Too bad he’s still sleeping. Actually… scratch that. He’d probably insist on cooking himself. The guy could use a break from making every meal for them. Even if it is his passion.

“My mom taught us,” He replies. “She insisted we all know how to cook for our future families.” She’d be happy to know he’s putting those lessons to good use. With space eggs.

It takes a particularly hard smack against the side of the pan for the stupidly hard shell to crack open. The inside is far denser than a chicken’s egg and entirely gelatinous. It plops into the pan with all the grace of someone coughing up phlegm. Eugh.

“What does Hunk _use_ these for?” Lance mutters, disgusted as he pokes the blob with a fork. It looks like the inside of an oyster.

At some point Shiro must have been curious because he’s suddenly standing behind Lance and peering over his shoulder. Lance manages to refrain from jumping this time.

“How… appetizing…” he comments.

“Well….” Lance replies, poking it again with a fork. The… yolk sticks to the fork this time when he pulls it away. “I haven’t actually cooked it yet… maybe it’ll be different once I do?”

Shiro shrugs helpfully. Lance grabs another egg and opens it onto the pan. He sticks the yolk on the fork to the one in the pan and it slides right back into dish. How is he even supposed to cook these?

“Are they even going to cook like real eggs?” Shiro asks.

“Only one way to find out,” Lance replies, turning the heat on to cook the space eggs.

Lance and Shiro quickly find out the hard way that no, the eggs do not, in fact, cook like Earth eggs. It’s so bad that they’re force to throw out all dishes involved in that catastrophe. They agree, after launching the evidence out into space that it is a secret best kept between them.  

Shiro kindly gives Lance the remainder of his space waffles upon returning to the kitchen.

“So…” Shiro says, once they’ve finished eating. “Allura tells me your bayard’s taken on a new form?”

“Mhm,” Lance replies, placing their dishes in the dishwasher.

“How’s that been going?” Lance shrugs. It hasn’t gone anywhere really. Not like there’s anyone on the ship to show him how to properly use a sword. Maybe Alfor once upon a time but… his AI was destroyed all those months ago. He’d ask Keith but he’s off doing important Blade stuff. Besides, Keith’s blade is a bit different, and Lance is smart enough to know that the fight styles are going to differ.

“Haven’t had much time to practice with it,” Lance replies.  

“Why don’t we head down to the training deck then?” Shiro offers. “You can show me your new weapon and we can get some training in together.”

Lance pauses, eyes focused on Shiro in surprise. It’s no secret to anyone on the ship that Shiro and Keith spent a disproportionate amount of time on the training deck together. Nobody ever bothered them really. That was their time to bond.

 So maybe watching chick flicks and wearing facemasks during a sleep over isn’t really Shiro’s thing. Which is fine. Training together is just as good as sleep over when it comes to strengthening relationships.

Besides, Shiro is extending an invitation _to_ Lance to train privately with him. Asking for some team bonding between them in a way Shiro’s comfortable with. Who is he to say no to that? Lance can work with this. He grins.

“Sure, Shiro.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Haha, remember when I was like "Oh, I'll post the next chapter a week from now"??? Well... if you do then I'm terrible sorry this is like.... a month later, almost. If not.... well, please disregard then. 
> 
> Here's my new chapter. I have no excuse for why it took so long to get out other than life has been crazy busy and I got bitch slapped with writer's block. I rewrote the start at least 3 times and changed the end scenes at least twice. Still not sure if I'm entirely satisfied with the outcome but whatever... not every chapter can be perfect. I was at animeboston last weekend with my peeps. It was fun but I'm super wiped and exhausted and won't catch up on any sleep until the weekend. 
> 
> Anyways, I'm so glad people seem to like this story. I'm literally blown away by the comments I received. You all are too kind. 
> 
> IDK when the next chapter will be out. Too tired to reasonably function at this point in time. Chapter hasn't been proofread so I apologize for any typos. 
> 
> Enjoy!

_Lance._

He wakes with a start, eyes snapping open to gaze unseeing at the ceiling. His heart races as the dream quickly slips out of his memory.

_Listen to me._

“What does that mean, though?” he whispers into the room. What is Shiro trying to tell him? What is he supposed to be listening to?

Lance would ask but… he says he can’t remember. Yet… somehow he was calling out to him. Well… the Shiro in the mindscape. Or… just Shiro in general?

Maybe he just got a concussion on that mission and just never did anything about it. They did take a bit of a beating after all. It would certainly explain the memory loss…. And the random headaches he gets.  

Lance sits up with a frown.

Something seems off about the whole thing, but he can’t quite figure out what.

A knock at the door startles him out of his thoughts. The voice that calls through the door startles him even more. He scrambles out of bed and moves over to the door.

It whooshes open, revealing shaggy, black hair.

“Kei-Whoa, what happened to your face?” Lance asks, eyes glued to the mark on his cheek. Keith slaps a hand over it self consciously, eyes widening.

“M-”

“Wait. Hold that thought. I need to get ready.” Keith’s frowns as he follows Lance back into the room. He takes a seat on Lance’s bed, watching the taller boy move around to collect clothing.

“Lan-”

“I can’t believe nobody woke me up,” Lance grumbles, disappearing into the bathroom. He huffs, peering at himself in the mirror. If Keith is here then the others must be here as well…  which means he really slept in. He’s going to have to skip parts of his usual morning routine. “How long have you been here?”

Keith huffs. Lance leans back to peer at him expectantly through the doorway.

“Not long,” Keith mutters.

“‘Not long’, he says,” Lance replies. “How long is ‘not long’, Keith?”

“Allura told us to let you rest.” 

Allura did? Well… that’s awfully kind of her. Still, he wanted to be there when the others finally arrived. Why would they let him sleep through that?

“Oh….” He looks back to the mirror feeling oddly disappointed. Is there even a reason to feel this way? It’s not like they left him out of something important.  

“She also said to take your time getting ready,” Keith says. Lance frowns at that but… he’s not exactly going to look a gift horse in the mouth here. He picks his toothbrush up with a sigh and begins going through his usual routine.

Keith patiently waits for him in the bedroom as he finishes up and exits feels awake and refreshed.

“So, you wanna tell me what’s up with your face?” Lance asks as the pair steps out of his room. Keith’s hand once again moves up to his face, absentmindedly touching the mark.

“My mom says it’s uh….” He hesitates, glancing at Lance briefly before looking away again, face turning red. “Um… a Galra thing…”

“Oh right. A Galra thing,” Lance replies. There’s a momentary pause between them before it clicks in his head. Wait… “Did you say your _mom?!_ ”

“Yeah. Sh-“

“Lance! Keith!” The pair turns around to be greeted by Hunk’s bright smile. “You mind helping me out in the kitchen for a bit?”

“Are we taste testing?” Lance asks, eyes lighting up in excitement as he begins following Hunk to the kitchen. Keith follows curious and equally as excited over trying some of the yellow paladin’s cooking. It’s certainly something he’s been missing since going to the Blade.

“Maybe,” Hunk replies. “But first we gotta _make_ the food.”

“Alright, so what are we making?” Lance asks as they step into the kitchen. The countertop is littered with various cooking utensils, some of which Lance is convinced they don’t even have on earth. One section of the counter, though, is surrounded by the different ingredients Hunk will presumably be using.

“Well… since we’re now allied with the Galra, I figured it’d be fun to try some of their cuisine,” Hunk says moving over to the cooking area. He picks up a large, well worn book. “So I asked Lotor and he gave me this book full of ancient Galra dishes. I figured now is as good as time as any to make one, but I need some help.”

“Say no more,” Lance says, stepping up to his friend and inspecting the book. “Keith and I will gladly help., right Keith?” Keith stands on the other side of the counter, eyeing the book warily.

“Right…” he mutters, gaze sliding over to the ingredients before them. He grimaces. “Does it have to be this dish though?” 

“What’s wrong with what we’re making?” Hunk asks.

“It’s just….” Keith sighs. “If you’re making what I think you’re making? It’s going to taste awful.”

“I _know_ you did not just imply Hunk can’t cook,” Lance hisses. Keith bristles, glaring at Lance with a retort on the tip of his tongue.

“Well… the recipe is pretty finicky,” Hunk says as he gazes at the book, oblivious to the brewing argument. “If not done just right it’ll come out bad. Maybe whoever you’ve had it from just messed up the directions.”

“Or, it’s just not meant for human consumption,” Keith offers.

“Maybe you should just have better faith in Hunk, _Keith_.”

“If you two are going to argue then please take it elsewhere,” Hunk snaps, frowning at the both of them. “I’m going to need help with this and it’s going to take cooperation and teamwork. You think you can get along for like… twenty minutes?”

“Fiiiiine,” Lance groans, taking the book to look the recipe over. He squints at the letters. “Uh… Hunk? This is all in Galra… Galran? Galraese?”

“I can read it,” Keith offers. He looks between the two paladins and shrugs. “Kolivan’s been teaching me.” Hunk grins, pulling the book out of Lance’s hands and giving it to Keith.

They watch in anticipation as Keith spends a long, _long_ moment staring at the page. His eyes flit over the ingredients before consulting the recipe again.

“It looks like you’re missing, um…” Keith squints at the text. “Uh… space eggs I guess is the closest translation.”

Lance feels his heart skip a beat as he carefully looks anywhere but at Hunk.

“Oh… yeah,” Hunk says. “You know… I couldn’t seem to find any? At least… I thought we still had some? But when I went to get them, they were gone? Do you think there’s some substitute we could use?”

Keith shrugs.

“Not much of a cook so I can’t say for sure,” Keith tells him. “You sure you don’t have any eggs?”

No… no, they most certainly do not have any eggs.

 Hunk sighs and goes over to the fridge. He digs around for a bit, muttering to himself. Lance watches, knowing the search won’t turn up anything and unable to speak up in his guilt. Maybe they’ll get lucky and Hunk will find an egg… or an appropriate substitute.

“These will have to do…” Hunk says, pulling a carton of… something out. Lance watches him set it on the counter with the other ingredients, eyeing it warily. “Hopefully, it doesn’t ruin the recipe.”

“What is it?” Lance asks.

“It’s like…. A cream?” Hunk replies, placing a bowl in front of them. “Or… like… buttermilk I guess?” Hunk shrugs and hands a bowl to Lance.

“What are we making anyways?” Lance asks as Hunk begins heating up the oven.

“I’m not entirely sure,” Hunk admits. “Coran described it to me but…” He shrugs. “Language barriers.”

“The closest we have to it would probably be meatloaf,” Keith says, flipping a page on the book. “Though I can’t say how accurate that description is exactly.”

“Huh. So… space meatloaf? How hard can _that_ be?”

 

“Lance. You’re supposed to be _stirring_ it not beating it to death.”

“I _am_ stirring it,” Lance argues, whisk swirling through the ingredients. Keith growls, frustrated, and snatches it away from him. “Hey!”

“If you don’t do it right, it won’t come out right,” Keith says, stirring the ingredients himself. “I’m not eating shit food and I want to have this the way it’s _supposed_ to taste.” Lance huffs and snatches the bowl back from him.

“Why don’t you just focus on reading and let me do my job?” he grumbles.

“I would but you’re doing it wrong,” Keith growls back, grabbing for the bowl again. Lance scowls and reaches for the bowl only for Keith to yank it away. Some of the ingredients slosh out onto the counter.

“Look what you made me do!” Lance hisses, snatching the whisk out of Keith’s hand.

“ _ME?!_ That was all _you!_ ” Keith snaps back, trying and failing to reclaim the bowl. “Maybe you should listen to me for once.”

Keith takes hold of one side of the bowl and pulls it towards him. Lance pulls back.

“Guys!” Hunk shouts, turning away from his cooking just as the bowl slips out of Lance’s fingers. It goes flying out of Keith’s grasp as he stumbles back from the counter. Hunk levels them both with a glare as the bowl skitters across the floor. Its contents trail after it.

Keith sits up, gaze planted firmly on the spilled bowl. A frown mars his face. Hunk groans and moves around the counter to pick it up.

“Sorry…” Lance mutters, unable to meet Hunk’s eyes. Keith rises off the floor looking equally as guilty. “In my defense though, this wouldn’t have happened if Keith had let me stir.”

“You weren’t doing it right,” Keith argues.

“Guys!” Hunk snaps. “Would you cut it out for just five minutes?” The pair falls silent. “Lance, grab some rags and clean this mess up. Keith, start remixing the ingredients. I ne-“

“Why do _I_ have to clean it up?!” Hunk sighs.

“Because it’s your fault Keith spilled the bowl,” he says. Lance huffs, pouting at Hunk and shooting Keith a dirty look. Keith flashes him a smirk before grabbing a new bowl. He looks to the book and begins pouring the right ingredients in to mix.

Two things happen at once then.

One, the castle alarms start blaring.

Two, smoke begins to rise out of the oven.

Hunk sucks in a breath, muttering a curse to himself as he rushes over to the oven. He turns it off and pulls it open. Smoke billows out, engulfing the room and forcing the trio out into the hallway.

“Paladins,” Allura’s voice rings down the hall. “Please report to the bridge immediately.”

The trio spare each other a quick look before booking it to the bridge.

 

Lance spares a passing glance at Kolivan and another, unknown Blade member as he steps into the bridge and moves over to his chair.

“So, what’s going on?” he asks, taking a seat.  Across the way, Pidge sits in her own seat, staring intently at the screen before her. Hunk moves over to Pidge to examine whatever she’s looking at. Allura, Shiro, and Coran all converse quietly at the front.

“We’ve received a distress beacon from a nearby ship,” Coran announces as the small group disperses moment later. “It appears they are being attacked by the Galra.”

“It could be a trap,” Shiro points out. “The entire empire has entered into a ceasefire.”

“So?” Lance says. “It could be a faction not loyal to the empire.” Shiro frowns but even he can’t argue that logic. They’ve fought off plenty of Galra that refuse to bow down to Lotor.

“Either way,” Allura replies. “We can not ignore a call for help.”

“Unfortunately, we can’t seem to get a visual on it,” Coran says.

“We don’t have a lot of time for a detour. Lance,” Shiro says, turning to the room and meeting Lance’s gaze. “We need you to take the Red Lion and investigate.”

Lance promptly jumps out of his seat, throws a mock salute at Shiro, and leaves for Red’s hangar.

The castle slowly fades out of sight as Lance and Red speed towards their destination.

 

Lance frowns. A ship floats listlessly before him through space. No Galra can be seen in sight. Dread washes over him as he realizes Shiro could be right. This could be a trap.

“Something’s not right here…” he mutters. Red rumbles around him equally as wary. He turns his com back on. “Guys? There’s no Galra here….”

“Oh man,” Hunk says, voice distant. “Oh man…. It’s totally a trap and we just sent Lance there by himself.” Pidge mutters some type of reply but she’s too far away for Lance to hear her clearly. She pipes up a moment later.

“Is there anyone on the ship?” Pidge asks, voice much closer now. “Have you tried hailing them?”

“Uh….” Why didn’t he think of that? Still….

He gazes at the ship, still floating without a care in the world. Doesn’t even look like it’s occupied. The lights are definitely off on that thing.

“I think it’s abandoned,” he says, gaze trained on the stationary vessel. It lurches suddenly and his heart stops. A light comes on.

“Why would we receive a distress call from an abandoned ship?” Pidge questions.

The front of the ship begins glowing, starting out as a small dot and quickly growing.

“Because it’s not…” Lance whispers, eyes widening.

“Lance,” Allura says, voice suddenly urgent. “Return to the castle immediately.”

He turns Red around just as a beam shoots straight for him and the lion. It hits Red in the shoulder, electricity ricocheting throughout the cockpit.

Lance’s body goes hot with energy, vision turning white and hearing static-y.

Red roars in pain.

Lance distantly hears screaming.

He recognizes it as his own voice just as everything fades to black.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Until next time! B)


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here I am... once again, with another chapter (finally). Life has just been hectic and my motivation to write has been nonexistent. Either, I finally completed this thing to where I can be happy with posting. 
> 
> Also gonna take this moment to say that I probably won't update for awhile. My girlfriend and I are moving in together and things have been crazy this past week. We're gonna be packing and moving and stuff over the next few weeks.... and then UNpacking once we've moved in. Either way, this is me announcing a small haitus. 
> 
> I'll update as soon as I can. For now, though.... enjoy!

When Lance wakes up he’s no longer in Red. As he peers around the room - walls a deep, rust color and no windows to be seen - he realizes it’s not the castle either. The bed he’s resting on is covered in a thick, fluffy comforter and as he rises he find he’s no longer in his armor.

 His armor has been replaced with a large, baggy sleep shirt and a pair of equally baggy pants. His feet are bare. The room only contains him and the bed.

 “Alright….” He drums his fingers against the blanket trying to figure out his current situation. Thankfully, he doesn’t appear to be in a Galra ship. Not unless they took up interior design…. And suddenly fell in love with the color red.

A door opens then, revealing rounded, furry ears and a feline-like face. Child-like, yellow eyes peer at him long enough to realize he’s awake before shutting the door with a soft click.

Lance didn’t think the moment could get any weirder yet… here he is. Stuck in a room on a ship that is not Galra with a species he’s never met before. Are they enemies? Allies? Space pirates? Speaking of….

Where is Red?

He reaches out to her but is met with silence. It serves as fuel for his mounting panic.

Is she even on this ship? Are they even in a ship? What if he’s on some unknown planet? What if they took him but left Red?

How long has he even been here? Do the others know where he’s at? Are they okay?

Are they looking for him?

The door swings back open before his thoughts can take him any further.

Large, rounded ears rest atop a head of short, black hair; the tips colored white. Sharp, amber eyes gaze back at him inquisitively. Dark, tanned skin shows all over their body with tiger-like marking coating their face, neck and arms; shoulders broad. They stand tall on thick, muscular digitigrade legs with a long, striped tail keeping them balanced. Their arms are strangely, humanoid with sharp, deadly claws on each finger.

When they speak their voice is distinctly feminine.

“Hello, paladin,” she says. Her voice is whisper soft yet deep and commanding. An odd combination really though it’s oddly fitting. She gives him a small smile, showing off her sharp canines. “I am Fajra. It is nice to see that you have finally awoken.”

“Right…. um… where am I exactly?” Lance asks.

“The Oracle came to me,” she says. “And told me of a young cub in need of assistance. So I set out to find you and dispose of the… _parasite._ ” She hisses the last part, face scrunching up in utter disdain. Fajra continues speaking before Lance can think much of it. “I was not aware that I would be helping a paladin of Voltron, however. It is quite the honor to have you on my ship, though I wish circumstances had been different.”

“Me too,” Lance mutters. Still… it’s nice to know that he’s in the presence of an ally. It would really suck if he was a prisoner. “So… is this your ship then?”

“You could say that,” Fajra replies, amusement coloring her tone. Well that’s not suspicious or anything… maybe he spoke too soon. Thought too soon? Whatever. She turns and gestures out the door. “Care to join me for some lunch?”

Lance agrees because what else is he going to do? Stay in this room by himself? Try and fail to reconnect with Red? At least getting up will appease his growing need to move. He’s never been one for stationary habits.

Not to mention, Fajra is currently his only source of information.

He doesn’t have many options right now.

Her feet pad against the metal floor silently much to Lance’s amazement. Lance likes to think he’s particularly light on his feet. It’s nearly impossible to miss the slapping of his footsteps in the silence of the hall. They echo down the hall though Fajra doesn’t seem to mind much.

“You’ve been asleep for about three of your Earth days,” Fajra says as they approach a doorway. “We should be arriving at your castle in just a few hours.”

“You mean the castle-ship?” Lance asks. They step into what appears to be a small kitchen when Fajra’s words catch up to him. “Wait…. How do you know what Earth time is?”

“Leonis shines bright on many in the universe,” she replies. “And the Oracle sees and knows them all.” Lance stares at her for a long moment, raising an eyebrow skeptically.

“Right…” he mutters. Totally not vague or anything. He shrugs and watches her gather up some food for them. Fajra takes a seat across from him, handing him his bowl. Lance pokes his spoon into what appears to be some type of stew, and… carrots? Space carrots? He squints. Is this like beef stew?

“So…,” he says. “Where’s my lion?”

“She is okay, just resting,” Fajra answers, taking a sip. “In the ship’s hangar.” Lance sighs in relief, tension he hadn’t realized he’d had flowing out of him. As nice as it is to know Red is fine, it’s still unsettling to not feel their connection.

“I’d like to see her.”

“Eat first, cub, and then you can see your lion.”

  

Red is… surprisingly in good shape Lance finds when Fajra finally escorts him to the hangar. There’s not a single scratch on her that wasn’t already there. Her eyes are dark though and despite Fajra’s reassurance, Lance still finds the silence unsettling. Not even the faintest murmur comes through to him.

He places his hand on her nose, gazing up at her eyes intently. Not even his touch is enough to wake her.

“What happened to her?”

“Her energy was leeched. She needs take some time to recover.” He sighs, resting his head against her.

“I’m sorry, girl,” Lance mutters. His eyes burn, though from what emotion, he’s not really sure. She got hurt protect him. If he had just listen to himself, they would have gotten out sooner. They wouldn’t be separated from the others. He should have insisted on going with someone else. “I couldn’t protect you.”

“Your bond is strong,” Fajra says stepping up to Red. Her sharp feline gaze wanders over Red’s massive body before settling on Lance. “She will recover with you by her side. Much faster than if she were alone.”

Lance turns his head to look at her, gaze curious. His hand drops away from Red.

“How do you know?”

“Many reasons, paladin,” she replies with a smirk, eyes twinkling mischievously. “For one, we have heard countless stories of the paladins and their lions and how their bond can create the unstoppable force that is Voltron. That is not a bond any can possess, and you?” She chuckles, tearing her eyes away from him to look upon Red once more. “The Oracle isn’t the only gifted Solarian. I can see the thread that ties the two of you together. It’s strong, like steel, and nothing can break that sort of connection. Embrace what you have, paladin, your lion chose you for a reason.”

_There is a greatness within you, Lance._

Allura’s words echo in his head. He can’t help but smile, spirit lifting just the slightest bit.

Red’s eyes flash, a faint purr calling out to him through their connection.

“Hey, girl,” Lance says with a smile. It’s not much, but at least she’s responding. At least Red’s okay. He places both his hand on her maw in some small shadow of a hug. “Rest up, okay? We’ll see the others soon.”

Red’s mouth falls open, inviting him in as she rumbles back softly. Lance huffs out a laugh and steps inside.

“I can’t stay long,” he tells her taking a seat. “We both need to rest before the others arrive.” She growls in disagreement, clearly thinking they’ve gotten enough rest.

Lance sighs.

“I know, Red,” he replies. “But… you need to regain your energy. Just take a break for a bit longer. It’ll be good for you.” She murmurs back, imagines and feelings translating over their bond. “I don’t think either of us can handle that right now.”

She growls her discontent, asking him to stay a while.

“I suppose I could rest here for a bit,” he says, watching through Red’s eyes as Fajra excuses herself from the hangar. He settles back in his seat and closes his eyes. Images flow into his mind from Red, and Lance finds himself quickly getting lost in them.

He falls asleep to the gentle crackle of a campfire.

  

“Lance!” Hunk drags him into a bone crushing hug. Happy tears stream from his eyes. “We’re so glad you’re okay!”

Lance stutters a laugh, happy to see his friend and fellow paladin. True to her word, Fajra brought him back to the castle. Or… they met up somewhere. Either way, he’s back with his space family. He pulls out of the hug only to be tackle into another by one Pidge. She pulls away a moment later and punches him in the arm.

“ _That’s_ for scaring us,” she growls, though there’s no malice in her tone.

“Sorry…” Lance mutters. He gives Keith a small wave as they make eye contact. Keith rolls his eyes but approaches the trio nonetheless.

“I thought I told you to take care of Red,” he says with a frown.

“I take plenty good care of her,” Lance replies, frowning back. “Besides, Red is a grown lion. She can take care of herself just fine.”

“I entrusted her to you.”

“I think you’re remembering wrong,” Lance retorts, stepping up to Keith. “She _chose_ me.”

“Well _I_ was chosen first!” Keith snaps, moving closer to the paladin. It’s silly, Lance knows, to be arguing over who Red’s favorite is. Still. He can’t help but argue. He and Red have come a long way as paladin and lion and like hell is he going to let Keith one up him on this.

“My bond is stronger.” The words slip out of his mouth but they have Keith stepping back in confusion nonetheless. Keith sucks in a breath, steeling his resolve as he opens his mouth for a retort. The metallic hand covering his mouth cuts him off however. He scowls at Shiro who’s frowning back at him.

“This isn’t a competition, you two,” Shiro says, giving Lance an equally disapproving look.

“Keith started it,” Lance grumbles, stepping away from Shiro. He frowns and crosses his arms as Red rumbles faintly to him, equally as disapproving of Lance’s antics. She may like him more (he thinks), but she still holds a soft spot for Keith. Red certainly doesn’t want them bickering. That much has been made clear to him over their time together.

“Well I’m finishing it,” Shiro replies and Lance can’t help but roll his eyes. It makes Shiro bristle all over. “ _Lance._ ”  

“You’re not my dad, Shiro,” Lance points out. He doesn’t need to be told what to do or how to behave.

“No,” Shiro agrees. “But I _am_ your commanding officer and disrespect will _not_ be tolerated. Understood?” And _that_ has Lance bristling, eyes narrowing dangerously as he levels a glare onto the black paladin. He’s starting to get real tired of Shiro pulling rank like this… or at least trying to.

Hunk and Pidge watch the exchange, unsure whether to interfere or stay out of it. Keith, wide eyed and mouth open just the slightest bit, appears surprised. He really has missed out on a lot since he left for the Blade. Still, Lance had hoped Shiro would relax some with his brother around.

The stare down between Lance and Shiro is only broken when the door swooshes open.  

“Am I interrupting something?” Allura asks, stepping up to the pair. She raises a brow at them, silently asking for some explanation. Shiro looks away first, eyes looking past Allura and to their feline companion.

Fajra stands in the doorway with Coran, frowning deeply at the trio. Her gaze, narrowed into slits, remains focused solely on Shiro. Her lips curl back just the slightly bit, canines on full display in a threatening manner.

“Fajra,” Allura says, giving her a warm smile. It’s enough to wipe the look off Fajra’s face as her attention shifts to the princess. “Thank you so much for helping Lance out. We are truly in-debt to you.”

“If I may, princess?” Fajra inquires.

“Of course.”

“A pride functions best when hunting in groups. Why send such a young cub out on his own in a potentially dangerous situation? Would he not have benefitted from another to aid him?”

Fajra one again turns her attention to Shiro; gaze sharp and fierce.

“It is unbecoming of the pride’s leader to make such a mistake.”

All eyes turn to Shiro. He stares back at Fajra, jaw clenched tight. His face is carefully blank, though his eyes appear troubled. Hands fisted at his side, Shiro takes a deep, steadying breath.

“Red is the fastest lion,” he says. “We needed to intercept that ship before it got too close.”

“There is always safety in numbers. Especially when treading into the unknown.” She looks to Allura then. “Your leader is clearly unfit to lead. Perhaps it is time to consider a replacement.”

Allura sucks in a breath, letting it out slowly.

“Wait.”

Allura’s eyes flutter in surprise as she looks to Lance. He ignores her, though, in favor of staring at Fajra.

“I get what you’re saying,” he says. “But… it was ultimately my decision to go out on my own. I’d do it again, though, because I trust Shiro and I if he thinks I can handle it then I’m going to trust that call.”

“We didn’t think to send someone else,” Hunk chimes in. “Because Lance is more than capable of handling something like that on his own. I, at least, have full confidence in his ability as a paladin.”

“Aww,” Lance coos, looking to Hunk with a smile. “I love you too, bud.” Hunk winks back at him with a playful smirk.

“A mistake was made,” Shiro admits. “We usually go out in pairs, but… there wasn’t much time and none of those really thought there’d be such a threat this far out from the empire.”

“The Galra are nothing more than parasites,” Fajra says, gaze looking between everyone. “They spread their plague and suck the life out of every planet until there’s nothing left. To think even our own system would be free of their disease is both naïve and foolish.”

“Which is why we are here!” Lance jumps in before Keith can protest. The glare on his face is enough to tell Lance the response would be unwise. Fajra’s gaze lock on him. “We’re here to help with your…. Pest… problem.”

“Your attempts to appease me are admirable, young lion, but unnecessary,” she replies. “The Oracle has told me everything about your intended alliance and has directed me to assist with the efforts. I never imagined embarking on a rescue mission would lead me to the Paladins of Voltron. Since I am here, though, I may as well escort you and your ship to Solaria.”

“That is very kind of you,” Allura says with an uneasy smile. “Perhaps there is a more appropriate place to discuss our plans?”

“Of course, princess,” Fajra replies. She steps out of the doorway and gestures out into the hall. “This way please.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Until next time! 
> 
> PS- I have a tumblr if anyone wants to go follow me on there: legendarysharpshooter.tumblr.com (I can't figure out how to hyperlink so this is the best you got.)


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright, and here we are with another chapter! Finally... 
> 
> So... when I first started this my plan had been to finish the story by the time Season 6 came out. That... clearly didn't happen. 
> 
> Either way, I FINALLY have a new chapter finished. Took waaaay longer than planning due to moving and unpacking and life and I've been battling a huge case of writer's block.
> 
> (I may have also gotten wrapped up in replaying all the Kingdom Hearts games since KH3 finally got a release date!!!) 
> 
> Welp... hope you enjoy the new chapter!

The marketplace flows around them, humming with that early morning energy only found in a place like this. Lance watches various Solarians move from vendor to vendor, either making purchases or trades. He stands by a stall, waiting with a frown as Hunk barters with the merchant, an old, snow leopard like Solarian. Beside him, Pidge takes notes on her tablet, watching the crowd move around them with a critical eye.

“I just don’t get why Keith was chosen to go with Allura,” Lance grumbles, watching a trio of children dart through the legs of the adults. 

“Because of his heritage, Lance,” Pidge respond for the tenth time since they landed. 

“Yeah but a rock has more diplomacy than him.” Pidge huffs and drags her gaze away from the tablet to stare at Lance.

“And _you’d_ be any better?” Lane bristles, suck in a breath as he levels a pout at her. Yes. He does think he has a way with words despite how everyone else might feel. Fajra, at least, seemed to like him… and he helped Hunk save an entire aquatic planet that one time! They just need to give him a chance for once…. And this would have been the perfect opportunity to do so.

"Wel-“

“So, I couldn’t decide what to get but that kind man just let me trade a few Earth recipes for this fruit,” Hunk says as he steps over to the pair, oblivious to the brewing discourse. The grin on his face falls as he looks up from his bag. “Did I miss something?”

“He’s still pouting.”

“Aw, Lance.” Hunk gives him a reassuring grin. “You don’t want to go to those stuffy meetings anyways. You’ll have more fun out here with us.”

“Yeah,” Pidge chimes in. “Don’t you wanna hit on all the hot cat-ladies?” Lance huffs and steps over to get a closer look at Hunk’s purchases, choosing to ignore Pidge for the time being. Besides… When was the last time he even flirted with someone? Not that he’d expect anyone to notice. With a pout, Lance reaches into the bag and pulls out what appears to be a cucumber.

“We havin’ salad for dinner?” he asks, peering into the bag.

“Maybe?” Hunk replies taking the vegetable back. “I haven’t found the right meat to make just yet. That vendor back there said meats are just a few rows over so I figured we’d head over there next.”

Lance shrugs and follows Hunk as they move on to the next task. Pidge trails behind, eyes glued to her tablet, though she manages to move through the throngs of Solarian with ease. The trio wanders down the rows, stopping occasionally to look at various merchandise and to speak with the vendors.

It’s as they’re walking past a particular booth, that Lance finds himself stopping to look at it. Cloth drapes over the sides acting as walls, though leaving the front open enough to peer in. Lance finds it reminiscent of those fortune telling booths from medieval times. So drawn to the tent, he doesn’t even notice Pidge and Hunk disappearing in the crowd.  

Red murmurs at him, the first she’s spoken since they left the ship. Cautious curiosity hums across their connection. She’s as interested in it as he is.

He moves toward the tent and steps inside.

He gazes around, taking in the various items on display. It’s far roomier than the outside makes it seem, he notes. Strange, luminescent orbs hangs from the ceiling, swaying gently from some unknown breeze. 

Shelves line the sides of the tent, littered with bottles and jars of various types of powders, liquids and some unidentifiable substances. Lance steps up to them curious, eyeing the labels but unable to decipher the language.

The tent is empty as far as he can tell.

Shrugging, Lance looks back to a shelf and inspects the jars. He reaches for one of the bottles to get a closer look.

"What need do you have for a love potion, young starwalker?"

Lance startles, nearly dropping the bottle and turns around wide-eyed. There in the back of the tent, leaning against the counter is a tall, lean Solarian. His hair cascades down his back and over his shoulders in tight braids. Round, lion-like ears flick towards him, piercings glinting in the light. Thin, gold bangles hang off both wrists, one hand jingling as he brings it up to rest his chin on it. A deep red shawl hangs off his otherwise bare shoulders.

"I was just looking," Lance says, eyes roaming across the rings adorning the Solarian's fingers.

"Ah," he replies, sitting back and putting his bare chest on display. Lance's face heats up as his gaze instantly strays to his torso, nothing but hard, lean muscles. Amusements colors his voice as he says, "But love is already in your destiny. There's no need to rush these things."

"Oh," Lance replies as things finally click into place for him. "This is a fortune teller's booth."

"Only those in need of guidance find there way here. Now," he says, beckoning Lance over. "Why don't you have a seat and I'll see how I can be of assistance." Having nothing better to do, Lance takes a seat. Besides, he's always wanted to have his fortune told.

"Soooo, how's this work?" He asks.

"There are many ways to tell someone's destiny," the Solarian replies. He places his hand on the table, palm up. "The most accurate though, is with something of value."

"Something of value?" Lance replies, somewhat puzzled. Don't these people usually look into a crystal ball or read some card or something?

"Yes. It can be anything so long as it's important to you and it's been on your person for a while." Lance thinks, trying to come up with something of value. His jacket is probably the closest he'd get since it came from earth but... as much as he loves it, he hasn't really had it that long. He brother did give it to him though. That could count for something, right?

Red rumbles, offering her two cents, and give Lance an image of his bayard. He shakes his head at that though. His journey began with Blue and though his connection with Red is strong, he hasn't been using the bayard this entire time. It probably won't be very useful for this task.

He needs something....

Something....

Red supplies him with the image of a pendant.

Oh.

Oh yeah.

Apparently in all the fighting, he forgot all about that.

He reaches up and carefully undoes the cords keeping the pendant around his neck. He drops it in the awaiting hand. The hand closes around the item, sharp claws pressing into the cord.

“An item from birth,” he purrs, amber gaze locked onto the pendant. “This will do perfectly.” Lance watches as his eyes fall shut, waiting for some indication as to what’s happening. He looks from his face to the hand and back again.

“Right…. so, do I need to be doing anything?”

“The items we carry with us retain much of our own energy the longer we have them,” he answers, blinking his eyes open. He locks eyes with Lance. “This pendant is a tradition, yes?”

“All my siblings have them,” Lance replies somewhat puzzled. He’s never heard of this kind of fortune telling. Maybe it’s special to Solaria? Can he really tell that much just from holding it? “I’ve been wearing mine since the day I was born.”

“And your siblings?” Lance shrugs and rubs his neck, suddenly painfully aware of how naked it feels.

“My sister gave hers to her daughter,” Lance offers. His brothers don’t really wear them anymore, though he knows they both still have theirs. They’re too sentimental to get rid of.  “Um… what does that have to do with any of this though?”

“Just curious,” he hums, flashing Lance a grin before focusing on his hand again. “The fact that you always wear yours says a lot about you and your family.”

“Like what?” Lance asks, leaning forward to look at the hand as if it hold all the secrets in the universe.

“You value tradition,” he replies. “And those that matter to you. You’re loyal. So much so that it’s gotten you in trouble before, and it’ll get you in trouble again.” His eyes practically glow as they remain locked onto the pendant, yet his gaze is far off, seeing something that can’t be seen. “You have much hardship ahead of you, young paladin.”

“Oh… yeah, I guess that sort of comes with the territory.” Red growls and even from so far away, Lance can feel her hackles raising. His face scrunches up, trying to figure out what has her so wound up. It’s just a fortune, right? It doesn’t _really_ mean anything. Besides, they get in trouble all the time. He sends her reassurances back though it does little to quell her unease.

“Your bond is strong.” The fortune teller is staring at him now, eyes clear of the fog they were previously in. He tilts his head curiously and blinks. “Though you haven’t been together long, she’s taken you in as her own.” Warmth washes over Lance. He can’t help but smile at the words. Red certainly seems to have accepted him in a way Blue never did.

He looks at his pendant.

“It can tell you that?” he asks. “Red isn’t exactly connected to it.”

“No, but I can feel her energy wrapped around you. She’s here, watching through your bond.”

“She likes tagging along.” He sits back, eyeing Lance curiously. His fingers mindlessly fiddle with the pendant as he appears to become lost in thought.

“Born during the time of our star, the Lion looks down on you and offer protection,” he mumbles distantly. “You have so much potential, yet your pride seems to overlook it. They fail to notice how much you support them. How much they depend on you. You’re a leader by birth but you’ve yet to be able to prove yourself. Always stuck in someone else’s shadow… unable to overcome…”

Lance watches with rapt attention as the Solarian still, eyes staring ahead, unseeing and unblinking. His hand remains frozen over the table, the cords of the pendant lightly brushing against the table.

“Uh…” Lance waves his hand in front of the man’s face. “Are you okay?”

A hand shoots out then, grabbing him by the wrist. Lance yelps and tries in vain to pull out of the grasp. Feline eyes lock onto his, pupils narrowed into slits.

“Protect the pride from your false leader and seek the truth where only you can travel. Only then will you emerge from the shadows.”   

“Wha-“

“My gift to you, paladin,” he says. “Use it wisely.”

He pulls Lance close and presses a clawed finger to his forehead. In an instant, images flash through Lance’s mind.

 

**It’s late at night when they receive the call. Lance opens his tablet, blinking sleep out of his eyes as he struggles to read the message.**

_**Report to the Castle.** _

**“Guys,” he hisses, sleep instantly gone as he jumps out of bed. Hunk stirs on the floor, rubbing his eyes as Lance darts around the room getting dressed. “Get Pidge. We need to go. Now!”**

_“Lance.”_

**“There’s no time,” Pidge shouts. “We need to form Voltron!”**

**Lance hisses, pulling up his shield. He ducks behind a pile of cargo and shifts his bayard back to the rifle. He rises, resting it against a box and tries to get a clean shot. Red sits in her forcefield on the other side of a horde of Galra. They fire relentlessly at his location.**

**“Lance!”**

**“There’s too many. I need backup!”**

_“Lan-“_

**They stand before the council, a group of old Solarian, each a different race. Allura stand off to the side of the room, disappointment radiating off her in waves. Next to her is Keith, looking less than pleased with the current turn of events.**

**“What you three have done is equivalent to treason,” one of the council members says. “What have you to say for yourselves?”**

**“We-“**

_“You need to li-“_

**“We wouldn’t be in this situation if you had just stuck to the plan!” He flinches, gaze falling to the ground. “You need to stop goofing off and grow up, Lance.”**

**His eyes burn but his mouth stays shut. There’s no point in defending himself. He knows he screwed up. He knows he let the team down.**

**“You need to be more dependable if you’re going to remain on this team.”**

_“Pleas-“_

**“The council has agreed to allow us to stay,” Allura says the moment she steps into the common room.**

**“Really? What happened?” Hunk asks. She hesitates, gaze landing firmly on Lance. Something passes across her face that he can’t quite name.**

**“Right now, I’m not at liberty to say,” she answers, turning to Shiro. “Shiro. A word please?”**

_“Lance, liste-“_

**“Keith,” Lance calls to him before he can disappear around the corner. Keith pauses and glances back at him. “I…”**

**He hesitates. Is it worth telling Keith? He’s not even sure if his theory is right. What if he’s overreacting? Keith doesn’t need that sort of thing right now.**

**“Yeah?” Keith prompts when he fails to say anything.**

**“Um…” He’s probably just overthinking. Shiro’s just been really tense lately. Everyone’s been pretty tense lately. “Never mind. It’s nothing important.” Keith brows furrow, mouth twisting down into a concern frown.**

**“You know you can tell me anything, right?”**

**“Of course, I do.” He should tell Keith. He knows he should…. But he doesn’t want to be a burden to the others. They have important things to do and his nonsense certainly won’t help.**

**Besides, he probably _is_ overthinking it.**

_“Lance. Listen. That’s no-“_

**The Black lion lands in front of him and crouches down. He watches, baffled but thrilled as it opens its mouth. A growl, far deeper than Red’s, echoes through his mind.**

**The Black lion beckons him.**

**He’s being chosen.**

**Lance steps inside and everything fades away….**

_He finds himself back in the mindscape. It’s different than Red’s though. Stars and space circle around him, stretching on forever. He looks around, trying to figure out where he’s at. How he got here without being in Red. Lance knows, though, that this isn’t Red’s domain._

_“Lance.” He turns around. There, silhouetted by the light and reaching out to him… Lance squints in the growing light, trying in vain to make out the figure._

_“Shiro?”_

_“Lan-“ The light grows, blinding him to the point he can see white behind his closed eyes._

 

When Lance opens them again, he finds himself standing in the marketplace. The fortune teller’s booth is gone, leaving him to occupy an empty space. The pendant dangles from his hand.

He looks at it, confused, unsure if that just happened or if he imagined it. If it _was_ just his imagination though, what has he been doing this whole time.

Were those…

“Visions?” he mutters, unsure. Red rumbles at him, equally as baffled. Did she see them too? Was she there with him in the other mindscape? “Wha-“

“Lance!” He jumps and turns to stare, wide eyed, at Pidge’s frowning face. Hunk stands behind her, holding twice as many bags as before they were separated and looking just as concerned as always. “We’ve looking for you for _hours!_ ”

Hours? Has it really been that long? He stares at Pidge, confused.

“No…” he says, pulling his tablet out to peek at the time. “It’s only been…” Oh. Apparently, it’s been far longer than he thought. How long was he in that tent? It had to have been just a few minutes. Why is it so much later than before?

“Yeah,” Pidge grumbles. “We’ve walked all over this place trying to find you.”

“I guess I just lost track of time…” he offers.

“No worries,” Hunk says, flashing him a smile. “We should probably just stick together for now though. At least until we get more familiar with this place is all. Pidge and I are done shopping so unless you wanna keep looking we should head back.”

“No… no it’s fine,” Lance says, slipping his pendant back over his neck. “I’m ready to eat now anyways.”

Pidge eyes his neck curiously but says nothing as the trio begins their trek home. As Hunk launches into a story about their adventures, Lance can’t help but look back to the empty spot. The fortune teller’s words echo through his mind.

_Seek the truth where only you can travel._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter will be out as soon as I have time to write it! Trying real hard to get back into a consistent writing schedule. Hope to have the new chapter out soon though!
> 
> PS- I have a tumblr if anyone wants to go follow me on there: legendarysharpshooter.tumblr.com (I can't figure out how to hyperlink so this is the best you got.)


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright, well... here I am with chapter 5... and it only took.... way too many months. Life just sort of got in the way of writing and I've been dealing with a lot of shit so... my motivation took a huge nosedive. 
> 
> I'm trying to be better though and get back on track with my writing!!  
> I've starting a writing blog. You can give me a follow over there for all updates on my stories: artemiswinters.tumblr.com
> 
> I'm hoping to have the next chapter out in a week and then I'll probably take a small hiatus because of the holidays... and my girlfriend's bday and then mine a week later (We're both January babies and only 6 days apart lol). 
> 
> All that being said... yes, Voltron has ended but no, this story isn't going anywhere. I intend to see it through to completion. I also have some other stories on the back burner so those will see the light of day some day. 
> 
> Anyways, onward to the story!
> 
> Enjoy!

It takes about a month of visiting the marketplace for them to find a good place to set up shop. The _Lion’s Den_ opens a week after that. Within days they have lines going out the door as word of Hunk’s cooking spreads.

Lance hums to himself as he wipes down the bar, watching Pidge slip into the kitchen with an armful of dishes. She’s just finished with her last table for now and will no doubt be taking a break to check her tablet. He’s just finishing up when Fajra walks through the door and takes a seat at the bar.

“You three have certainly built a reputation,” she comments once he’s moved close enough to her.

“And it’s all thanks to you,” he replies with a smile. “We couldn’t have done it without your help.” She hums, resting her cheek on her hand and accepts the menu Lance hands her. “Whatever you want is on the house.”

“My,” she purrs. “So generous.”

“Well, giving us a place to stay and helping us find _this_ place is more than enough for a few free meals.” Fajra hums in response, cat eyes looking over the menu thoughtfully. She sets the menu down moments later and points to an item.

“What is this?” Lance leans over to peer at the menu, face scrunching up at having to _describe_ something on it. Even Hunk had difficulty explaining it to them and he created the thing.

“Um…. Have you heard of pizza?” She stares at him blankly. He heaves a sigh and takes the menu. “Just… trust me that it’s good and you should definitely try it.”

“Very well then. I will eat this…” Her mouth twists as she carefully pronounces the word. “ _Peetzuh._ ”  

“Coming right up!” Lance calls back as he disappears into the kitchen. Pidge sits at a table off to the side, tapping away at her tablet. He gives her a small wave as he heads over to Hunk slaving away over the oven. Sweat beads down his face, expression set in concentration as he stirs up some concoction in a pot.

“Hey, Hunk,” he says, jotting the order down and pinning it up with the other orders. “Fajra’s here. She has requested a pizza.”

“Got it,” Hunk replies with a smile. He stirs the pot once more before grabbing some dough to start on her order. “I’ll have it out asap.”

Lance gives him a quick pat on the back and wanders over to the glasses. He picks up a few clean ones and fills them with water before moving over to Pidge.

“How’s it going?” he asks, setting a glass down next to her. She sighs and pulls out one of her earbuds.

“I’m getting a lot of chatter,” she says. “But most of it is just gossip about neighbors or upper class Solarians.”

“So nothing substantial?”

“Nothing we can really relay back to Allura…. Not yet at least.” Lance peeks at her tablet as he sips his own drink. Words fly across the screen far too fast for him to read. Pidge must be running some sort of algorithm to pull out anything that might be useful.

“It’s almost as if they aren’t even aware of the Galra’s presence,” he mutters. Huh…. Now that he mentions it…. nobody here has even so much as uttered the word… “Pidge….”

“There is no war in Solaria,” she replies, turning to him with wide eyes. A grin spreads across her face. “Lance you stupid genius.”

 

“Delicious,” Fajra purrs, pushing her empty plate across the countertop.

“I’m glad you liked it,” Lance replies, taking the plate. From the way she practically inhaled the food, Lance is sure she will be ordering it again. She should certainly try Hunk’s other dishes though. He’ll have to remember to suggest other options to her next time.

Fajra hands him a card when he returns.

“Your payment,” she explains.

“No….” Lance replies, pushing the card back towards her. “I told you the meal was on us.”

“A tip then,” she insists, pushing it back to him. “And if not a tip, then please, on behalf of my employer, accept this gift.”

Confused, Lance takes the card and flips it over. The entire backside of the card is covered in the image of a garden. In the center of the garden stands a fountain. A lion figure roars at the top as water flows from its mouth down below. He flips it back over and there’s a signal word scrawled on the front in elegant, gold cursive.

 _Taru_

“Wh-“

“When you are ready,” Fajra says, rising from her seat. “Go to that location. Show them the card and they will let you in. He will be waiting.”

Lance looks at the card once more, bewildered, and when he looks up, ready to ask more, Fajra is gone. He looks around, but she is nowhere to be seen.

Red murmurs to him, confused and uneasy at the mystery of it all.

“I know, girl,” he mutters, looking at the card again. “I guess we’ll just have to go and find out?”

Besides… how hard can it be?

 

“There’s about fifteen different gardens in this city alone, Lance.”

“I know, bu-“

“Seven of which require special permission to access.” Lance huffs, looking down at the card in his hand with a pout. Of course, Pidge and Hunk didn’t agree with looking for it. Even if Fajra gave it to him, it’s likely unrelated to their current mission so it’s officially low priority.

“We can go looking some other time,” Hunk says, attempting to placate him. There won’t _be_ a next time though. Once the mission is complete, they’ll leave Solaria and never come back.

“I just…” Lance sighs. Ever since he got the stupid card, he’s had this feeling that he just can’t shake. Red rumbles, kindly informing him it’s called intuition and that she’s feeling it too. At least _someone’s_ on his side. “It just _feels_ important…. Like it might be worth looking into.”

“We aren’t going to look into something just because you have a _hunch_ ,” Pidge argues. “Especially if it’s not related to our current mission.”

“But Fajra gave it to me,” Lance argues back. “And she’s supposed to be helping us. If she didn’t think it was important then why give it to me?”

“Allura and Shiro are working with the council on the affairs of Solaria. We’re simply here to gather public opinion on the Galra and the war.”

“Both of which nobody here seems aware of.”

“Lance is right,” Hunk chimes in. Lance and Pidge turn their attention fully to him. He continues, mind made up. “We _don’t_ have any leads right now and just this afternoon you both concluded there seems to be a conspiracy brewing. If Fajra knows something and is trying to help, then I think it’s worth looking into. Besides, Lance’s has never been wrong about a hunch before.”

Pidge heaves a sigh, gaze wandering up to the ceiling. Lance’s eyes flit from her to Hunk, happy that Hunk stood up for him and impatient for Pidge’s response. Red purrs across their connection to soothe his nerves and settle his mind. It works for a total of ten second and then Pidge is sighing again, looking between him and Hunk.

“We have to tell Allura,” she says. “And I’ll have to reset my algorithms to key in on parks and fountains. The rest will be up to Lance.”

“Great,” Hunk replies, slapping a hand down on Lance’s shoulder. “I have to get more supplies from the marketplace tomorrow. Pidge can work on her stuff in the pub while you join me and look for that garden…. Or at least, try to find a hint of where it might be.”

Lance smiles, happy that they’re at least somewhat willing to help search. It may be a dead end but it’s better than nothing. Red purrs in agreement, happy to see her Paladin happy.

“You can count on me,” he says.

 

The marketplace is bustling and loud as always. Lance follows Hunk from vendor to vendor, helping him carry some of the food. He keeps his ears peeled, listening in on conversations. Most of them are just gossip about neighbors. Their names and the pub come up frequently, eyes straying over to them in the process. Fajra wasn’t kidding when she said they were popular. Maybe he can use that to his advantage?

All he needs to do is find someone in the marketplace that knows about flowers. Shouldn’t be too hard given the size of this place. There has to be at least _one_ Solarian selling flowers.

Lance looks around, steps slowing as he follows Hunk to the next vendor.

Someone like….

They come to a stop before some type of fruit, but Lance isn’t paying much attention; too busy looking around to someone to talk to.

Someone…

He misses it on the first glance over. Eyes widening, he sweeps his gaze back over to it.

There!

He leaves their cart of food with Hunk and wanders over to the vendor. Flowers line the little stand in various shapes and colors. Most look kinda like Earth flowers but he knows that can’t possibly true. There’s no way these cat people came to Earth… right?

Right.

Still… these flowers in particular strike a stark similarity to lilies…. And these ones look oddly like the hibiscus.

“Need help with anything?” Lance sucks in a breath, nearly jumping out of his skin, as he looks down at the voice next to him. Large, narrow black ears with little tufts of fur point straight up on the Solarian’s head. Dark, sand colored fur covers his entire body. His tail is short, or at least short enough to be covered by the loose clothe wrapped around his waist. A bag of coins rests against his hip.

Caracal, Lance’s mind supplies for him, and he agrees. The Solarian before him looks just like one… well the pictures he’s seen at least. He blinks his pastel green eyes at Lance.

“Do you need help with anything?” he asks again.

“Uh…”

“For a lover?” he suggests, eyes glinting with something Lance can’t quite describe. He grins, small, sharp teeth flashing in the sunlight. “Or perhaps your bond-mate?”

Lance isn’t sure what a bond-mate is, but it has his cheeks growing warm and his face turning red.

 “It’s not…. I’m not…” Lance huffs and looks back at the flowers, needing a moment to clear his head. He rubs the petals on one, admiring how soft it feels. He’s never felt a flower so fuzzy before. “I was just looking…”

His eyes widen. The longer he holds the flower the darker the blue becomes. It eventually stops at a deep, dark navy; nearly black in appearance.

“Whoa…”

“That’s a Siela,” the flower stand owner says. “It’s a very special and rare flower. Very few florists on Solaria grow them.”

“What does it mean?” Lance asks, releasing the petal. The color instantly fades back to white. Curious, he touches it again and it returns to the same color. He grabs the whole flower and it blooms with shades of blue to black.

“The Siela is a _soul_ flower,” he explains. “It shows many different things. In this case, the colors represent your connection with your bond-mate. Congratulations, by the way, not many have one.”

“Bond-mate?”

“The one connected to your soul?” the caracal offers. “Do you not have that on your planet?” Lance blinks.

Oh… He’s talking about a soulmate. Well that makes sense but…

“Aren’t those just a myth or whatever?” he asks.

“Clearly not if you’ve met yours.” Lance frowns and looks at the flower in his hand. There’s no way he could possibly have a soulmate… right? Right…. he shakes his head, clearing his thought and trying to get back on topic.

They aren’t here to talk about maybe soulmates. He’s trying to find a garden and maybe such a rare flower is the key.

“So…. Do you grow these flowers?” he asks. The merchant sighs wistfully.

“Sadly, I do not have the proper means to grow such a flower,” he answers. “You must meet certain conditions for it to even bloom.”

“What kind of conditions?” The caracal shakes his head.

“Couldn’t tell you,” he says. “It’s a closely kept secret among the suppliers.”

“Oh… well… maybe you can help me with something else then,” Lance suggests, pulling the card out of his pocket. “I’m trying to find a garden…”

The merchant takes one look at the card and his eyes go wide. He looks up at Lance, jaw opening and closing as he struggles to say something.

“You…” he starts, looking at the card again. “This card… it’s-“

“Lance!” The pair jumps, and Lance turns to find Hunk standing behind him. “We’re needed back at the Castle.” Lance’s eyes go wide as he turns back to the flower cart owner and shoves the flower into his paws.

Shit… and he was so close too….  Lance hastily puts the card back in his pocket, gives the merchant and apologetic smile, and runs off with Hunk, a frown marring his face. Guess he’s going to have to come back and hope the flower cart is still there…. And that he’s willing to help.

For now, though, the garden will have to wait.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I meant to do this far sooner but completely forgot:
> 
> Fajra is pronounced like Fie-rah
> 
> Taru (Our new, mystery employer) is a name that means "Myth or legend"
> 
> Siela is the Lithuanian word for "Soul".


	6. HIATUS ANNOUNCEMENT

Hi everyone!!!

I just wanted to take a moment and thank everyone who has left kudos and comments on this work. It really means a lot to me and helps me stay motivated to write.

As it stands though... I'm putting this story on hiatus.

Why? 

Well... there's two big reasons.

First, I've begun working on another fanfic that is basically an entire rewrite of VLD. This is something I had been wanting to do for a while and will take a good chunk of my time to do. (And no, it has nothing to do with the way the series ended)

Second, and this is the biggest one... I've been trying to write my own book series and want to put more of my attention into that rather than fanfiction. This has been an even larger project that I started waaay back in 2013 and so far I have a heck ton of plotting done and characters created and 1 full chapter written with a second in the works.

I don't want to just give up on this story... far from it, but my focus, it seems, can only be on 2 stories at a time. Trying to juggle 3 at once is just too much on top of my various other projects and working full time. 

So... this isn't the end of the story, it's just paused for now.

Again, thanks to everyone that left kudos and comments. If you like this story I suggest you check out some of my other writing as well. 

Thanks.


End file.
